Micro Deflectors on Touch Sensor

1. An apparatus, comprising a plurality of deflector devices, each deflector device having: a shaft with a distal end for protruding through a touch surface; a plurality of extensions connected to the shaft, wherein each of the plurality of extensions extends in a different direction from the shaft; a plurality of magnetic sensing devices, each magnetic sensing device to sense how close a respective extension of the plurality of extensions is to the magnetic sensing device; and a spherical pivot at a proximal end of the shaft, the shaft to pivot around the spherical pivot; wherein the plurality of magnetic sensing devices of each deflector device are to sense when the shaft of the deflector device is deflected parallel to the touch surface; wherein each deflector device is to provide an electrical signal indicating a direction of the deflection of the shaft of the deflector device along a surface of the touch surface.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a pivot at a proximal end of the shaft of each deflector device.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a proximal end of the shaft of each deflector device is rigidly fixed.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each magnetic sensing device of a deflector device is a coil.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each magnetic sensing device of a deflector device is a Hall sensor.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each extension of a deflector device is ferrite.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each extension of a deflector device is magnetic.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , further including the touch surface.

9. An apparatus, comprising a touch surface and multiple deflector devices coupled to the touch surface; wherein each deflector device comprises: a shaft with a distal end protruding through the touch surface; multiple extensions connected to the shaft below the touch surface, wherein each of the plurality of extensions extends in a different direction from the shaft; multiple magnetic sensing devices, each magnetic sensing device to sense how close an associated extension of the plurality of extensions is to the magnetic sensing device; and a spherical pivot at a proximal end of the shaft, the shaft to pivot around the spherical pivot; wherein each magnetic sensing device of a deflector device is positioned to detect when a deflection of the shaft parallel to the touch surface changes a distance between an associated extension and the magnetic sensing device.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the touch surface further includes additional sensors of a different type than the deflector devices, each one of the additional sensors coupled to the touch surface.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the additional sensors comprise capacitive sensors of the touch surface.

12. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein each deflector device includes four extensions and four magnetic sensing devices, each of the magnetic sensing device being associated with one of the extensions.

13. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein each magnetic sensing device of the multiple magnetic sensors of a deflector device is to have an equal reading when there is no pressure on the shaft to deflect the shaft.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each magnetic sensing device of the plurality of magnetic sensors of a deflector device is to have an equal reading when there is no pressure on the shaft to deflect the shaft.